Hello Goodbye
by thelilacfield
Summary: Luna Lovegood is a frightened hare, ready at the slightest hint of danger to run and hide. But what if that danger was the one thing she loved most? A tale of admitting love with a Christmas ending. LunaHermione, for Bluey


This is dedicated to the brilliant, amyzhieing, awesomesauce Bluey. I love you, hun, and I'm so glad you're alive right now. You helped shape my entrance into the world of femmeslash and you gave me the brilliant prompts below. This one's for you :)

Prompts used: _forgiven, paper hearts, storms, shine, star, bruised, fallen, edge_

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><p><span>Hello Goodbye<span>

Luna Lovegood was one of those people who relied heavily on instincts. Since the first step she took across scuffed wood, the first word shaped by a small pink tongue and pearly teeth, she'd been constantly cautious and observant, ready at the slightest moment to unleash the power held within taut muscles and flee the scene, like a hare spooked by hunters.

That was her summed up in just a few words: the running hare. Easily spooked, constantly watching, fast runner, always the hunted, never the hunter. The daydreams and fancies that filled her mind and clouded her eyes didn't dull the sharp intellect that she hid behind that dreamy façade. She had been sorted into Ravenclaw for a reason. Intelligence sharp as a razor was accompanied by a careful observation of the world around her and a constant tendency to run from threats. Threats that took many shapes, from Death Eaters - the enemy - to the truth about herself - the truth she didn't want to acknowledge.

The Death Eaters, they were the fox, sneaking up on her with a heightened sense of smell and excellent vision, the mindless predator born to forever stalk its prey. Ruthless and difficult to fight off once it attacked, but easily spotted and avoided. The truth about herself, however - about her sexuality - was like the Ravenclaw eagle within her. It targeted her and only her, not some other herbivore nibbling its food in a golden field of wheat. It was ruthless and had eyes that never left her, giving her that odd prickling down the back of her neck. And it was stealthy enough to remain unnoticed until it swooped and dug its claws into her. By the time she noticed it, escape was impossible. It fought from the inside and clawed at every restraint she put over, fighting to free itself and show her what it held.

"It's wrong, I'm wrong, it's wrong, I'm wrong," she murmured as she gazed out of the window at the inevitable rain. Ravenclaw Tower was oddly silent and empty that afternoon, everyone being in Hogsmeade, determined to enjoy the free time despite the cold torrents. Luna, she was still in the domain of Rowena Ravenclaw, the strong, intelligent woman she admired and aspired to be like.

The blue-and-silver hangings that surrounded her were all embroidered with the symbol of her house. The eagle, strong and proud and the most intelligent of its kind, rather like the woman who'd founded the house and made the bird she treasured its mascot. But, looking into the silver eyes of the bird, Luna felt only dread and the desire to be the scared little hare, ears and nose twitching at the scent of danger, legs poised to bolt at the slightest sighting of the animal she feared.

"Luna, are you sure you don't mind me leaving you here to go with Anthony?" Cindy asked, tapping her friend gently on the shoulder. When Luna didn't respond, appearing to be engrossed in watching raindrops slide down the glass, Cindy sighed and left the odd witch alone with her thoughts.

"I'm glad you have Anthony," Luna murmured to glass as the brunette left the common room, no doubt to run to the arms of her short, dark and handsome boyfriend. "I'm glad you'll have a boyfriend and children and some degree of normalcy in your life. I'll never have any of that, I'm jealous." She closed her eyes and leant her forehead against the cool glass, listening to the sounds of the rain pattering gently against the window and allowing the sound to bear her away to the land of daydreams.

_Silky soft skin whispering against skin. Soft curls brushing against her face. The intoxicating scent of chocolate and spearmint. Gentle velvety lips whispering endearments and finding their way to her own._

"_Luna Katrina Lovegood!" a grey-haired woman squawked, bursting into the room._

"_Granny Middleton, this isn't what it looks like!" Luna argued, tears already blooming in dove-grey eyes._

"_You're one of them!" Granny Middleton screeched, pointing at the only other person in the room. Luna pulled the unbuttoned halves of her shirt together and worried at her lip as the old woman advanced, banging her walking stick threateningly on the cold stone floor, the noise echoing eerily through the chamber._

"_It's not what it looks like!" Luna repeated desperately, willing to do anything to halt her Granny's slow advance. "I swear."_

"_You're an abomination, a disgusting blot upon our family name!" Granny Middleton shrieked, her face red with anger and her eyes showing nothing but anger and cold contempt towards the young frightened girl hunched against the wall. "You must be destroyed!"_

"_Granny, please!" Luna screamed. The old woman raised the stick in her hand and Luna saw nothing but the face of the one she loved, wan with fear as Luna's own flesh and blood threatened to harm her._

"No!" Luna cried, the word a long, drawn-out cry of horror leaving her lips as she jerked awake. She was trembling, a cold sweat breaking out over her skin at the beautiful vision that had become a waking nightmare. Granny Middleton would never give her blessing, never approve, only look at her innocent granddaughter with disgust. The rigid old woman believed homosexuality to be an abomination, a weed that must be wiped off the face of the earth lest it destroyed the beautiful, righteous flower of heterosexuality.

"I'm wrong," Luna murmured, looking out into the grounds where she could see a flood of students running in from the rain. There was bound to be a deluge of students into the room soon. She had to get away from searching eyes, from questions, from anyone who might look into her eyes and see the terrible truth hidden within them. She gathered her robes around her and fled up the stairs to her dormitory, that nervous, twitchy hare once more, fleeing from anything that threatened her. The sound of her quick, light footsteps on the dark blue carpet were disguised by the explosion of chattering and laughter as fellow Ravenclaws spilled into the common room, sodden but joyful.

"Bully for them," Luna whispered to herself, cautiously opening the notoriously creaky door and looking around the deserted dormitory. Without lighting the lanterns that hung from the ceiling or starting up the boiler that hid behind a small door in the northern wall, she curled up on her bed and drew the hangings around herself, not wishing to be disturbed.

She rolled up the white sleeve of her shirt and contemplated the vivid purple bruise on her forearm that remained as a constant reminder of her last punishment. It seemed that the mere mention of homosexuals in Granny Middleton's hallowed halls was enough to make the old woman fly off the handle and give her granddaughter the beating the beloved child had never thought of in even her worst nightmares. She'd borne it steadfastly at the time and only allowed herself to give in to tears when she was locked within the moth-infested room she resided in when visiting the Middleton family home. She refused to give in to tears in front of Granny Middleton, refused to give in to the ancient tyrant's iron-fisted rule. She would not be intimidated into an approved marriage of convenience, she would rebel the same way her mother had. Luna's mother was the reason Luna was determined to resist every effort Granny Middleton made to slap her down.

"Luna, are you in here?" Miranda asked, her voice soft as the door creaked slowly open. "It's time for dinner, if you're hungry."

"I was daydreaming," Luna explained, opening the hangings and smiling at the surprised blonde.

"You're still your usual dotty self, then," Miranda said, smiling and putting an arm around Luna. "Come on, let's go and eat, I'm starving. Honeydukes was flooded by all this rain so I haven't gotten my usual bag of sweets." Luna smiled at her friend's inane gossip and followed her downstairs to join Cindy and Georgia, perfectly happy to listen to their vapid conversations and avoid the terrible words filling her ears, fighting fiercely to be heard.

"Chicken, brilliant!" Miranda exclaimed as the five of them took their seats at their house table and her eyes alighted upon the golden plate of drumsticks. "Dig in, everyone, don't make me feel guilty for being the first to grab food." Luna laughed and pulled a bowl of mashed potatoes towards her.

"So, Luna, what did you do while we were all out in Hogsmeade, having fun in the rain?" Georgia asked, staring down a forkful of spaghetti.

"I actually just went to bed for a quick nap," Luna answered. "I'm just really tired these days."

"You shouldn't stay up so late writing those sonnets of yours," Cindy said light-heartedly. "Writing by candlelight may be romantic but it doesn't exactly leave you in great shape for the next day." Luna let out the expected laugh at her friend's comment, but felt hollow inside. Had any of her friends seen what she wrote on the parchment after she believed they were asleep? Those poems were like windows to her soul, they would know everything after a single glance at the words, laid down forever in permanent ink.

"Don't worry about it, Luna, I haven't seen them or read them," Cindy said, rolling her eyes dramatically. "You need to learn to take a joke!" Luna smiled as they joked at her expense, relieved that her private sonnets had remained private. Perhaps she should dispose of the parchments, ensure that no one would ever discover her disgracing secret. As soon as the idea entered her head, she knew she couldn't do it. Within that drawer, wrapped in red and gold ribbons, lay the deepest, darkest desire of her heart. Everything she felt for the person whose face filled her mind in every moment of every day was contained with those pages, communicated in a variety of techniques and rhymes.

"How did your date go with Anthony, Cindy?" Miranda asked, turning to the prettily-blushing brunette.

"Did you snog?" Georgia asked in her usual blunt manner. Cindy blushed a deep red and shook her head frantically. "Tell the truth!" Georgia demanded, with a withering look reminiscent of Professor McGonagall.

"Yes, we snogged," Cindy said dreamily. "Lots of times. It was so amazing. He's such a good kisser!" She drifted off into a dreamy account of her afternoon. Luna listened dutifully, and, unlike Miranda who had no such reserve, attempted to hold back her giggles when Georgia mimed being sick into her salad.

"So, how's your love life going, Luna?" Miranda asked when Cindy had at last stopped describing in great detail every moment of her date with Anthony. "Has Neville asked you out yet?"

"I told you before, he has a crush on Georgia," Luna said with a heavy sigh. Georgia choked on her mouthful of pumpkin juice and had to be pounded on the back.

"That's karma catching up with you for making fun of me," Cindy said without any sympathy for her friend. "Luna, don't you have anyone you want to date?"

_Yes, but I'll be destroyed by hate if I confess to who it is._

"No, I'm happily single at the moment," Luna answered, shrugging in a non-committal way and turning back to her dinner. "Can we please talk about something else now?" Miranda and Cindy nodded and happily began chattering about the latest scandalous gossip - 'He didn't!' 'He did, and then she…' - but from the penetrating stare Georgia gave her, Luna knew that the bespectacled copper-haired woman knew exactly what she was hiding and whose love she longed for.

"Luna, did you hear that Draco Malfoy cheated on his girlfriend?" Cindy asked, her eyes shining with the sheer joy of sharing juicy gossip.

"I'll hear more about it later, Cindy, I have to meet with Ginny," Luna said, leaving most of her meal untouched and leaving the noisy room to hurry up the silent staircases and enter the room where the other five people who made up 'The Dream Team' waited for her.

"Glad to see you escaped the claws of those harpies you call friends," Ginny said, smiling and referring to their shared love of Greek mythology. Luna smiled back and took a seat on one of the cosy armchairs that materialised as she wished for a place to rest her weary body.

"They're very nice people, just a little over-enthusiastic sometimes," Luna said, half-heartedly defending her friends. "Anyway, what are we here to talk about? I really need to go back to my dormitory and get some sleep."

"Actually, we were here to have a nice evening together," Harry said. "We haven't spent much time together enjoying ourselves for a while, so I decided to come here."

"If you're tired, Luna, I'll escort you back to Ravenclaw Tower," Hermione piped up from a shadowy corner of the room. "It's not particularly safe to be wandering the corridors alone at night in these times." Luna's heart began to beat faster at the thought of walking with her beloved down dark corridors, perhaps drawing them into an alcove behind a watchful statue to indulge in illicit romance. Words swirled about in her head and tried to force their way up her throat, demanding to be spoken.

"Thank you, Hermione, but it's not that late," Luna said, feeling tears threaten to cloud her eyes as another opportunity sailed past without waiting for her. "I'll be fine by myself. Night, everyone." A chorus of goodbyes and goodnights followed her out of the room. She walked for a few minutes through the eerily silent and dark corridors before emotions overwhelmed her. She ducked behind a statue and sat against the wall, her head buried in her hands as her shoulders shook with the force of violent sobs.

The night she had after that wasn't exactly conductive to a peaceful sleep. She returned to the dormitory only after she'd regained control over her emotions, only to climb into her four-poster and quietly cry herself to sleep. The dreams that haunted her all through the black night were of similar length and outcome to her terrifying daydream, waking her up multiple times and leaving her frightened to rest her head on the pillows once more. And when she awoke after a rather sleepless night and found Georgia staring at her she was horrified to realize she'd been talking in her sleep.

"What did I say, Georgia?" she asked, desperate to know if she'd revealed her secret. "What did I say?"

"You were just moaning and crying," Georgia explained, her blatant truthfulness coming in handy for once. "You did shout something about your mother once, but you didn't say anything else. Why are you so frantic to know?"

"I don't want you using my talking while sleeping as ammunition to tease me," Luna said, flinging her covers aside and pulling a neatly-folded towel from her trunk. "What time is it?"

"It's past nine, mate, the others have all gone down for breakfast," Georgia informed her. "I volunteered to wait up here for you to wake up." She gazed at Luna's face for a moment. "You look awful."

"I just haven't been sleeping well lately," Luna explained, carefully avoiding even hinting at the reason she was unable to sleep through the night.

"Listen, have a shower and then go and see Madam Pomfrey for some potions," Georgia ordered. "Ask for Sleep Replacement and Wake-Up, alright? I'll save you some toast." Luna smiled gratefully and impulsively hugged the copper-haired woman. Georgia looked embarrassed at the sudden display of affection and departed for the Great Hall rather quicker than strictly needed. Luna wondered if Georgia had pieced together the truth about her and was nervous of being physically close to her. She had no need to worry. Only one person brought out those particular feelings in Luna and to everyone else she felt nothing.

Luna met Hermione just outside the doors to the Hospital Wing. She knew the brunette was approaching before she saw her, owing to the familiar, comforting scent of strawberries and the faintest hint of spearmint. The older student was yawning, her complexion dull in the way that indicated a sleepless night and her clothes creased. Madam Pomfrey looked very disappointed when Luna pushed open the large oaken doors and the astute Ravenclaw suspected the medi-witch had been looking forward to a hearty weekend breakfast.

"Are you another one needing Sleep Replacement and Wake-Up because you couldn't sleep last night?" she asked in her usual brusque manner, lifting the two bottles that still sat uncorked atop shelving. Luna's cheeks coloured as she thought of the exact reason she'd had a sleepless night and, looking wildly around for something to stare at until her blush faded away, saw that Hermione's cheeks had turned a colour identical to hers. Madam Pomfrey completely ignored their embarrassment, measuring out doses of first the green potion, then the yellow potion and mixing them together.

"There you are, Miss Lovegood," she said, presenting Luna with the beaker. "Drink up and get to breakfast." Luna drained the potion and handed the beaker back to Madam Pomfrey.

"Thank you very much," she said, turning away to walk with Hermione to the Great Hall. As the doors shut behind them, Luna heard the medi-witch murmuring to herself.

"Why can't the kids get themselves to sleep? I was looking forward to my scrambled eggs. I wonder if the house elves remembered to brew me black coffee today. Godric, I could use a drink."

"I wonder how many of the staff use student behaviour as an excuse to imbibe alcohol," Hermione mused. Her words demanded no response, but Luna gave her one anyway.

"Probably all of them," she said. "I've heard many of them hurrying down the corridors loudly proclaiming how much they need a drink."

"Especially after that little incident with Malfoy and Parkinson and the potion fumes," Hermione said, giggling slightly at the memory of those two shaming their families and their house.

"I'll never forget Ron murmuring about how he was going to fix that humiliating image in his mind forever," Luna said. "The same way he did after Malfoy was transfigured into a ferret." The two of them laughed together for a minute and Luna had never felt so alive. No longer was she the scared, running hare, now she was the courageous hare with every intention of staying where she was.

"So, what was keeping you awake last night, Luna?" Hermione asked as they began to descend the Grand Staircase. "I was trying to finish some homework." The happy bubble that had been expanding in Luna's chest popped. Of course, Hermione hadn't been kept awake by the same things she had. Hermione wasn't like that. She'd been working away like the industrious soul she was and that was the reason she'd dragged herself to the Hospital Wing.

"I had a bit of homework too," Luna lied, wishing with all her heart she had the courage to speak out and tell Hermione the truth.

"I though you and Ginny did all your homework last week," Hermione said, a slight frown crossing her features. Luna took a deep, composing breath and reminded herself never to even attempt lying to Hermione Granger.

"It was just some extra credit for Ancient Runes," she said. "I'm considering a career in law and Professor Flitwick explained that Ancient Runes is required to get a place at a firm."

"I didn't know you wanted a career in magical law," Hermione said, her whole face lighting up at the prospect of discussing their futures beyond school. "What aspect are you considering? Because I'd recommend laws of ownership for you, unless you think you can stomach all the drama and tears of familial law."

"I haven't really thought much about it," Luna responded feebly. "I've got years ahead of me to grow up."

"Not really, Luna," Hermione said. "In another two years you will have graduated Hogwarts and you'll have to learn to stand on your own two feet."

"But, don't you see, we're shooting stars," Luna said dreamily, remembering the words whispered into small ears by her mother. "We have to keep going and burning bright, or we'll come down to earth and there will be no hope for us."

"That's beautiful, Luna," Hermione said, smiling at the blonde. "We have to keep shooting across the night sky and shining." Her face appeared lit up like the stars she spoke of and she was so very close to Luna that the blonde could feel every inch of her body trembling.

"Have you ever had that feeling where you're standing in a high place with the sudden urge to jump?" Luna asked, speaking directly to the suddenly perplexed brunette.

"No, and I hope I never will," Hermione said. "I'm terrified of heights. Why?"

"Because I have it now," Luna whispered. Her instincts were screaming at her and, relying on them as the hare did, she followed their orders to the minutest detail. With a sudden shining beacon of hope filling her heart, she closed her eyes and gently pressed her lips against Hermione's.

For a moment, everything was perfect. A strange emotion that was a mixture of fiery passion and exquisite tenderness filled Luna until she felt like flying. Those lips against hers were as soft and velvety as the inside of a rose. But only for a moment. Then those beautiful feelings and gentle lips were cruelly torn away from her. She was no longer flying through the sky, but watching the woman she loved run away from her.

And, just like that, Luna fell.

No longer did she shine. No longer did she shoot across the inky night sky. No longer did the beacon of hope shine within her heart. No longer did she fly. Everything in her life that meant something, all her feelings, simply crumpled up like an old newspaper and tossed aside. Perhaps she shouldn't have exposed her fragile heart to the cold realities of the world. Paper hearts fell too easily and were far more easily torn apart. For now, she was left alone to wipe her eyes and gather up the scattered scraps of her paper heart. Not even the best quality of Spellotape could mend her heart. It was ripped apart forever.

As winter closed in around the castle and the nights fell earlier, there came violent snowstorms that left those residing within Hogwarts unable to get out of any of the doors for several days. The house elves worked tirelessly to keep the castle warm enough to support human life and it became sheer habit to wear jackets and knits throughout the day. The brewing storms mirrored the state of Luna's anger towards Hermione that boiled inside the cauldron of her heart, simmering and growing more potent as time went by. The only question was of when it would explode.

It wasn't long before Christmas decorations bloomed like rare, jewel-bright orchids throughout the castle. Mistletoe made an appearance in most every corridor throughout the castle and one could barely move for canoodling couples that appeared to find the rather monotonous tradition of kissing beneath the white berries incredibly romantic and didn't worry about being attacked by Nargles. No one could persuade Luna to kiss beneath mistletoe, the plant was infested with the horrible little beasts.

The last Hogsmeade weekend before the Christmas break began with Hagrid finally succeeding in clearing a path through the deep snow from the front doors to the entrance to Hogsmeade. Those already filled with Christmas cheer were made positively crazy with happiness by this revelation and even those Scrooges who glared at those already looking starry-eyed over presents softened up when they heard the brilliant news.

Luna watched her friends glow at the thought and enthusiastically plan their day and felt a peculiar sense of envy. They planned to visit Honeydukes and drink Butterbeers, cosied up together in secluded alcoves. Her plans included remaining in her room, brooding over her life and doing even more extra-credit work. Since her life had ended, she'd gone to each of her professors and taken on all the work she could. Piles of homework, most of which consisted of long essays or complicated numerological charts, was an effective distraction from a broken heart.

"Luna, haven't you finished all of this week's homework yet?" Miranda asked, gazing at the blonde who sat surrounded by textbooks, quills, inkpots and rolls of parchment while her friends toasted crumpets and marshmallows over the common room fire.

"This is some extra-credit work," Luna explained, not dragging her eyes away from the text she was translating. "I thought I might as well make an effort to get good recommendations when I leave school."

"She's crazy," Cindy said, rolling her eyes and turning back to Anthony. He put a hand over hers and guided her stick through the flames.

"Now, the key to a perfect marshmallow is slow burning," he said. Cindy gazed admiringly up at him while Georgia and Miranda looked disgusted. Luna allowed herself one laugh before lowering her head to gaze at the strange spiky symbols on the yellowing pages.

On that Saturday, the morning dawned crisp and cold. Luna was packing her bag with heavy textbooks and spare rolls of parchment as her friends prepared to depart for Hogsmeade and fun while she headed to the library for a date with some dusty textbooks. She had to finish the holiday work she'd demanded from her professors and some extra-credit for Arithmancy.

"Are you still definitely sure you don't want to come?" Cindy asked, wrapping an extra scarf around her neck and staring at Luna as she packed the last of her equipment into her bag.

"I have work to do, Cindy," Luna said. "At least this way I won't be stuck working over the holidays." She fixed a smile onto her face and waved until her friends were gone. Only then did she let her smile slip and begin to walk through the decorated castle to the library, sidestepping bunches of mistletoe and ignoring the creaky carols of various suits of armour.

The library on first sight appeared deserted except for Madam Pince, swooping around the aisles like a vulture, searching for wrong-doers to report to Filch, and Miss Marple, her rotund, mystery-loving assistant. Luna found herself a secluded corner close to the textbooks and spread out her parchment and books, preparing herself for an afternoon of concentrated effort on the homework front. Alas, her secret haven was disturbed no more than five minutes after she'd dipped her quill into her inkpot.

"Oh, sorry, Luna, I didn't think there'd be anyone here," Hermione said, quickly starting to back out of the alcove.

"It's fine, Hermione, we'll share the space," Luna said. Anything to avoid the woman leaving her alone once again. Hermione looked wary, but cautiously sat down and spread her own work over the tables.

"Are you someone else finishing off the holiday work?" Hermione asked, looking at the charts Luna was mapping the position of Venus since the summer solstice in. "You got the third one wrong. Venus was at a forty-five degree to Pluto in July, not Mars." Luna scratched out the incorrect answer and wrote in the correct position.

"In answer to your question, yes, I am," she said. "I asked the professors for all the work they were planning to give out over the Christmas holidays so I could get it done."

"I heard from Ginny that you've been doing a lot of extra-credit work too," Hermione said. "Where do you find all the free time?"

"When you don't go to Hogsmeade and aren't romantically involved with anyone it's easy to find an evening to devote to homework," Luna said, gazing directly into the brunette's cinnamon eyes. "What's your excuse?"

"The same as you, I guess," Hermione said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "No boyfriend and no social life is the way to homework efficiency."

"I don't think people should categorise studious students like that," Luna said, thinking of how she would love to be in a relationship with the person closest to her. "Our priorities are getting good marks so we have more chance of a good job when we leave school. Just because romance and going out are lower down on our list of priorities doesn't mean we don't care about them or we don't want them."

"You have a true way with words, Luna," Hermione said. "I suppose it's a Ravenclaw trait."

"There are people in other houses who have a way with words," Luna said. "I don't think our personalities should be sorted by what house we're in. Everyone has multiple facets to their personality. Slytherins aren't all cowards and Gryffindors aren't all brave."

"Name a Gryffindor who's not brave!" Hermione said indignantly, drawing herself up to her full height and puffing out her chest.

"There's one sitting right here in front of me," Luna murmured. It was unfortunate that Hermione heard her.

"How dare you?" she shouted. "I'll show you how brave I can be!" As an apoplectic Madam Pince rounded the edge of the bookshelves Hermione bent forward and smashed her lips against Luna's.

For a moment there was fire between them, an endless roar of flame bouncing between their bodies. They were so close Luna could feel the heat of Hermione's body and them both trembling violently. At the terrible, equally shocked and outraged screech from Madam Pince they jumped apart.

"Canoodling in my library!" Madam Pince shouted, her face red with anger. "Get out! _Get out_!" The two women obeyed, quickly scrambling together their belongings and escaping with identical dark blushes colouring their faces.

"Why did you do that in there?" Luna asked, staring at Hermione. She wanted to confess everything and fall into the brunette's arms, but that scared little hare inside her wanted to run.

"I wanted to show that I'm brave," Hermione said. "I don't run away. And you've kissed me before."

"That kiss wasn't anything to me, Hermione," Luna said, terrified by the words twisting their way up her throat and out of her mouth. "I don't feel anything for you. Thanks to you, now I'll have to find myself a quiet corner of the common room. Bye, Hermione." Luna walked away from the woman she was in love with, feeling her heart break a little more with every step.

That kiss, it had been like standing on the edge of a crevice. Their relationship had been teetering on the edge of a cliff, ready to fall and be destroyed or collapse back to solid ground and certainty. And now Luna had ruined everything by scorning her. On the edge was no longer the state of their relationship. It had fallen down the crevice and been destroyed by the rough rocks below.

Luna returned to Ravenclaw Tower to find the common room silent and frozen, only grey, stone-cold ashes in the fireplace where there had previously been cheery orange flames. She ascended the stairs slowly, trying to keep a lid on her emotions. She had no desire to see or speak to anyone. She curled up on her four-poster, pulled the dark blue duvet over her shivering body and laid her head down on her pillow, allowing the tears gathered at the corners of her eyes to fall, leaving small puddles on the white cotton.

Hours later, Luna opened her eyes to find the other beds in the room occupied and the darkness pressing against her. Glancing over at the small clock on Miranda's bedside table, she saw that it was very early in the morning. The sky outside was pure inky black speckled with stars. Luna looked out of the window, lifting a pale, innocent face to the serene moon. A shooting star flashed across her vision, followed quickly by another. Hot tears prickled Luna's eyes as she thought of Hermione, the shining star she was chasing across the sky.

"I wish that somehow Hermione and I could forgive each other and we could find happiness," she whispered in a voice thick with emotion. She remained kneeling by the window as white flakes began to fall, dusting the frozen grounds with another layer of snow.

The day of their departure to their homes dawned cold and snowing. Luna sealed her trunk shut with a spell and looked around the room she would be returning to in a few short weeks. Cindy was concentrating on composing a 'miss you already' letter to Anthony and Miranda was far more concerned with finding her other glove than paying attention to the brooding blonde. Only Georgia looked up from her efforts to close the lid of her trunk and met protuberant grey eyes that said everything she needed to know. Luna silently begged her friend not to speak of the secrets she read in her sad eyes.

"Luna, how are you spending your holiday?" Miranda asked, triumphantly emerging from under her bed, covered in dust and proudly clutching her glove.

"At home with Daddy and Ginny, celebrating Christmas," Luna said, managing a small smile at the thought of a peaceful Christmas back in Radish House with her father and best friend. "Daddy thinks he's come up with a way to kiss people under the mistletoe without Nargles attacking you. We're going to test it out when I get home."

"Let's meet up on Boxing Day," Cindy said, sucking on her quill while deliberation what to write next. "We can exchange presents and have a good gossip."

"I'm so disorganized I haven't even bought presents yet," Miranda said, flapping about her single glove to emphasise her point. "I can't even perform house-keeping spells properly!"

"Let me," Luna said, waving her wand. Miranda stared, open-mouthed, as the crumpled clothes inside her trunk neatly folded themselves and floated gently back into the trunk to settle in regimental formation.

"You're a genius!" she said. "I'll have to practice over the holidays so I can return the favour."

"No need, that was your Christmas present," Luna said, wondering how Miranda would react.

"No, I want a real present too!" she shouted. "I would even be happy with some chocolate!"

"Oh, I was going to get you the Weird Sisters' latest orb, but if you'll be happy with just chocolate, I'll save the Galleons and get you that," Cindy said with a cheeky grin. Miranda glared at her and returned to throwing her last few belongings haphazardly into her trunk. Georgia snorted.

"No wonder you can never shut your trunk or find anything," she said, admiring her closed and locked trunk. "You're so messy, Miranda!"

"Yes, yes, I get the point," Miranda said, glaring around at them all and slamming down the lid of her trunk to emphasize her anger. "Shall we start walking down to the station?"

"We have to take our trunks down into the common room first," Luna said. With much groaning and a few expletives, they mobilised their trunks and manoeuvred them carefully down the stairs into a common room filled with identical cases, all waiting for Filch and his assistants to take them down to the station. They left theirs standing together in a corner and, wrapping scarves tightly around their necks and shoving hands into pockets or gloves, started walking through the chilly corridors and down the staircases towards the front doors, laughing and chattering.

The Hogwarts Express waited in the station like a great red caterpillar, already covered in a light dusting of the white flakes drifting gently down from the grey sky. A guard waited by the front, ushering people into empty compartments, handing them luggage and urging them to enjoy their holidays. The four Ravenclaws took their trunks, found their own compartment and each took out their entertainment for the long journey. Cindy and Miranda were soon giggling over the latest _Witch Weekly_ while Georgia took out a book of crosswords and Luna extracted the latest copy of _The Quibbler_ from her bag and began to read her father's editorial on holiday traditions.

Luna looked up at exactly the wrong moment to see Ron and Hermione patrolling the train on Prefect duties. Ron looked angry and was pointedly ignoring Hermione while Hermione's eyes were red and swollen, a sure sign that she'd been spending a lot of time crying. Luna wondered what exactly had gone wrong between them, if that was the reason Hermione had been crying and what the brunette had done after Luna had left her standing alone outside the library.

"Alright, shape up in here!" Ron shouted, opening the door with a bang that made Cindy squeal in fright and fall off her seat. "Feet off the seats and tie down your luggage before it falls off the rack and kills someone!" He glared around at them all, keeping Luna's eyes for a second longer than anyone else's, before banging the door shut and leaving a blushing Cindy to scramble back to her feet.

"What was that about?" Miranda asked, looking up from the latest pictures of Celestina Warbeck with her illicit lover. "Normally Ron's quite an easy-going guy."

"I reckon him and Hermione had a fight about something and it's making him tetchy," Cindy said, remembering Hermione's red eyes and Ron's pointed ignorance.

"They fight all the time and he never normally gets that upset," Georgia said, remembering the many times she'd come across the hot-tempered pair arguing. "I wonder what happened this time to make him that angry and her that upset."

"Maybe she blew him off for someone else," Miranda said. "Maybe she's in love with Harry."

"Maybe _he's _in love with Harry," Cindy said. "She would be upset about that."

"Not necessarily," Georgia corrected. "Maybe she's in love with another woman." Immediately Miranda and Cindy jumped on what could possibly be the juiciest piece of gossip they'd heard all year.

"I wonder who it could be," Miranda said excitedly. "Maybe it's Ginny!"

"Or one of those stupid airheads she shares a dormitory with," Cindy mused. "Though I don't know why an intelligent girl like her would go for one of them."

"The heart want what the heart wants," Georgia said. "And maybe Hermione's heart wants one of us. Luna, maybe." In that instant Luna realised that Georgia knew everything. Thank goodness that the other two women took it as a joke and started to laugh.

"That's a great joke, Georgia," Cindy said, clutching her sides weakly. "We're probably getting all worked up over nothing and they just had a fight about her cat eating his owl or something." Miranda nodded in agreement, put her feet back on the seat and went back to perusing the fashion pages.

"Oh, yes, pigtails are back in fashion!" Cindy shouted gleefully, peering over Miranda's shoulder.

"Luna, can I talk to you?" Georgia asked. "In private?" Luna nodded, laid down her magazine and followed the other woman out into the corridor. Georgia waited for the witch and her food-trolley to pass before turning to Luna and holding steady eye-contact.

"I know who you want," she said. "You were talking in your sleep again and I heard you wishing on those shooting stars."

"I know you knew, perhaps even before I did," Luna said. "You're a very intuitive woman, even more so than most Ravenclaws."

"Have you talked to Hermione?" Georgia asked, shooting another glance up and down the corridor for any eavesdroppers. "Does she know how you feel?"

"I kissed her, but I lied to her so she doesn't know," Luna said. Georgia's eyes bulged and her mouth fell open in shock.

"You lied to her about the way you feel?" she asked. "Lying gets you nowhere, Luna."

"I don't know what to do now," Luna said. "She probably hates me."

"Don't go wallowing in self-pity, that won't get you anywhere either," Georgia scolded. "You have to bite the bullet and just tell her. It doesn't matter where you are, tell her. Show her how you feel."

"Thank you," Luna said. She blinked wet eyes and hugged Georgia. This time, the other woman didn't appear nervous. Rather, she hugged her tightly before releasing her and blinking rapidly to hold back tears.

"Go get 'em, tiger," she said loudly. "Go get her." Luna grinned and followed Georgia back into their compartment, where Miranda and Cindy were both squealing over some photograph, most likely a picture of a pair of outrageously expensive shoes.

The sky outside was orange shot through with gold by the time they drew into Kings Cross Station. Luna helped Miranda release the restraint spells on their trunks and pull them down. Each woman claimed her luggage and, complaining and cursing, dragged them out of the compartment and off the train onto the bustling, loud, smoke-filled platform.

Luna glimpsed a trio through the smoke. Harry was walking between Ron and Hermione, attempting to make conversation while Ron only grunted in response and Hermione sniffed and wiped her eyes. She felt a nudge in the small of her back and turned to see Georgia giving her a nod and a wink as she walked towards the couple waiting for her. Luna took a deep, composing breath, closed her eyes for a moment and walked determinedly up to Hermione.

"Oh, hello, Luna," Harry said politely, glaring at the woman and man next to him, who were both too busy with their own problems to greet Luna. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to give Hermione something," Luna said, looking into Hermione's tear-filled eyes even as she spoke to Harry. "Hermione, my confession is that I lied." Hermione's eyes widened and Harry looked puzzled.

"Luna, what are you talking about?" he asked.

"I was talking to Hermione, not you," Luna said. "I lied, Hermione. Outside the library, I said that kiss meant nothing. I lied. It meant everything to me." Harry's mouth had dropped open and even Ron deigned to look at Hermione.

"Bloody hell!" he yelled, his eyes widening dramatically as Hermione smiled, a single tear falling from cinnamon eyes. Luna carefully wiped away the crystalline water droplet with her finger and, carefully tipping her face upwards to avoid hurting Hermione, pressed her lips gently to her beloved's.

"Why are you snogging?" Ron shouted, drawing the entire station's attention to the four of them. Both women ignored the gasps, giggles, Ron's angry sputterings and Harry's awkward mumblings, all their attentions focused on each other. It was only Ron's hand on Hermione's shoulder, pulling her away, that ended the beautiful moment.

"What the hell, Hermione?" Ron growled. "When you said you were in love with someone else I didn't think you meant Luna. I thought you meant a man, not a woman!"

"Do you realise what a prejudicial git you're being right now, Ronald?" Hermione asked, cool and logical as always, despite the situation. "Well, you're prejudiced against Slytherins, Malfoys and anyone who hates you already, why not add lesbians to the list?"

"I'm not being prejudiced!" Ron shouted. "Why weren't you honest with me, Hermione?"

"Well, I knew you'd react like this," Hermione said. "And you are being prejudiced, Ron. If it had been Harry or Neville kissing me you wouldn't have made such a scene."

"But Luna's a woman!" Ron shouted, almost tearing his hear out in anger. "A woman!"

"Yes, thank you, I had noticed," Hermione said coolly. "She's far better at relationships that you are, Ron."

"I'll talk to you later, at the Burrow," Ron growled. "C'mon, mate, let's go." He walked away, the tips of his ears still red and angry. After a moment of awkward silence, Harry followed him, mouthing _Sorry _as he went. Hermione turned back to Luna.

"Well, that went well," she remarked. A smile broke out on Luna's face and a laugh escaped her lips.

"Am I forgiven?" she asked. "I'm sorry I lied, Hermione." Hermione turned to her, a slight smile lifting her features.

"You're forgiven," she whispered. Out of nowhere a red-headed whirlwind bounded excitedly up to them.

"Hermione, I thought you'd be with Harry and Ron," Ginny said. "Luna, your Dad's here, let's go!"

"Hermione's coming with us," Luna said, making an instant decision and taking Hermione's hand. Ginny looked a little confused but accepted the new situation and led them to where Luna's father waited for them.

The journey to Radish House took a long time, due to a traffic jam on the motorway and an overturned taxi on one of the back roads that led to Ottery St. Catchpole. When the tall black structure loomed over the horizon between curtains of falling flakes, a sense of warmth filled Luna. She was finally home again. She was home again, with her best friend and the one she loved. She felt a hand close around hers and looked up from her contemplation of the grubby carpet to find Hermione smiling into her eyes. Ginny looked at them for a moment, confused, but returned her attention to the awe-inspiring structure as the car ground to a juddering halt.

"Just leave an old man to unload your luggage, girls!" Xenophilius called as the three of them started walking up the hill towards the house. "I don't mind."

"Oh, Daddy, we'll make dinner for you instead!" Luna called, giggling. Ginny's horrified look only made the situation funnier.

"I can't cook!" she said in a strangled voice. "I can barely even toast marshmallows without setting one on fire!"

"Relax, I know plenty of conjuring spells," Hermione said soothingly. "Dobby taught me some elf cooking magic when I delivered his present to the kitchens yesterday."

"What was it?" Luna asked, curious as to what exactly you gave a house elf for Christmas.

"Sixteen different pairs of socks," Hermione said with a grin. "He seemed to like them. He was wearing every single one of them when I left, so I assume he was grateful." Ginny made no effort to hold back giggles and soon Luna and Hermione both joined in.

"I'm glad you girls are having fun, but there's eggnog to be poured and spuds to be peeled," Xenophilius said, his face red from the exertion of lugging three heavy trunk up the spindly spiral staircase to Luna's bedroom, where the three women would be sleeping for the duration of the holidays.

"Oh, Daddy, you and your holiday drinking," Luna said, affectionately ruffling his hair as she passed.

"Wouldn't be Christmas without a little eggnog, darling," Xenophilius said with a wink. "Go and pour me a mug, there's a good lass. There's steak and carrots in the fridge."

"Good, you need to eat more vegetables," Luna called, wandering into the kitchen and waving her wand to mobilise all the cooking utensils and make her apron slowly float towards her and neatly tie around her waist. "Here's your eggnog." She filled a mug with the beverage and handed it to her grinning father. A moment later Christmas songs were pounding out of the wireless and the printing press could be heard clattering about in the study above them.

"Your dad really likes his Christmas tunes," Ginny observed as a sudden blast of music made Hermione jump and drop the bowl of egg whites she'd been whisking.

"Why are we making chocolate mousse?" she asked, flicking her wand so the oozing ingredients floated magically into the repaired bowl. Luna smiled and opened the oven to check on the steaks.

"It's a tradition," she answered simply. A new song started and Hermione sang along, looking into Luna's eyes and telling the blonde for the world - or Ginny - to see: _All I Want For Christmas Is You_. Ginny looked from the blonde to the brunette and shook her head.

"You two are sweeter than that mousse," she said, inclining her head towards the bowl. "I hope you know, Luna, that we're all going to be sick after eating that!"

"It's a painful pleasure," Luna whispered, her eyes not leaving Hermione's. "Like love."

"Oh, please!" Ginny snorted, half-exasperated, half-amused. "Your brains are scrambled by love!" She continued chopping carrots, frowning as the two women remained wrapped up in each other's eyes.

"This looks delicious, girls," Xenophilius said when Hermione, Luna and Ginny proudly sat down to appreciate their cooking efforts. "How did you do it?"

"We worked together," Hermione said with a slight shrug, spearing a potato on her fork.

"Together is the only way, after all," Luna said with a sad smile, taking Hermione's hand beneath the table.

"You're sickening," Ginny said, pausing in the act of cutting up her steak to sigh, roll her eyes and shake her head.

"I agree, Ginny," Xenophilius said, nodding. "But it's young love and it's beautiful." Luna smiled at her father and put her arm around Hermione.

"At least eat the dinner we slaved over!" Ginny exclaimed. Hermione and Luna grinned at her and began to eat.

Hours later they were still sitting around the fire in the living room, toasting marshmallows, drinking hot chocolate and playing chess while a new snowfall began outside.

"I believe that's checkmate," Xenophilius said to a disbelieving Ginny. "I make that fifteen for me, three for you." He glanced at the clock and appeared shocked at how late it was. "Blimey, look at the time. You three better get to bed. I don't care if it is the holidays, you still need your rest. Tomorrow we're braving the harsh weather and crowds to do a little shopping."

"Goodnight, Mr. Lovegood," Hermione said. Ginny echoed the words and Luna hugged her father before all three of them ascended the stairs. With a wave of her wand Hermione conjured two inflatable mattresses and covers for them. One after the other they locked themselves in the bathroom to wash and put their pyjamas on. Luna got into her bed and Hermione and Ginny settled onto their mattresses.

"Night, lovebirds," Ginny murmured, already half-asleep. Luna felt a hand slide into hers and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Hermione was the first to rise the next morning. A quick glance at the clock on one of the slanted shelves and the dark sky outside showed it was still very early. Careful not to disturb either of the sleepers, whether it was the smiling Luna who had fallen asleep holding her hand or Ginny who had wrapped her arms around her pillow, Hermione crept into the bathroom, locked and warded the door and cast a _Muffliato _so the other women wouldn't be woken by the sound of the shower.

While in the shower she hummed _With A Little Help From My Friends _and thought over her new relationship with Luna. However oddly it had started, it was no mistake that the blonde considered them to be girlfriend and girlfriend. That kiss had released some new and odd feelings inside Hermione. Now her dreams were haunted by the image of pushing Luna back against white pillow and slowly undoing every button of her white school shirt.

_No, I will not let that train of thought continue _Hermione scolded herself internally, putting her head under the jet of water so her shampoo ran into her eyes. The stinging effectively distracted her from any daydreams, sexual or otherwise.

Every time they touched it gave her a thrill. She felt like she could fly without the aid of a broom or any spells. Even the slightest brush of their fingertips or the faint smell of her lemony shampoo had delicious shivers running down her spine and her lips aching to touch Luna's. And when they kissed…it was beyond anything she had ever imagined. She'd kissed a few men, mostly in a friendly, experimental way, and could honestly say that women, with their gentle caresses and smooth lips, were far better than men at kissing. Holding hands and putting their arms around each other gave her an adrenaline rush like nothing else.

Hermione opened the door cautiously to find both Luna and Ginny both still asleep, looking absurdly young in their pyjamas with their hair spread over their pillows. She tiptoed around their beds, opened her trunk and extracted clothes to wear for the day before locking herself back into the bathroom to change and slather on some of the Sleakeazy's gook to tame her hair. It smelt disgusting, but women had to suffer to be beautiful.

"What did you do to your beautiful hair?" Luna asked when she walked back into the bedroom.

"I thought you'd like it better when it wasn't all frizzy," Hermione mumbled, feeling slightly ashamed. Luna smiled and pulled her down onto the bed.

"I love you just the way you are," she whispered. "Frizzy hair and all." Hermione smiled back and pressed her lips lightly to Luna's.

"No kissing when I'm in the room!" Ginny shouted from her mattress. "This holiday will be a nightmare if all you do is snog!" Luna and Hermione smiled into each other's eyes and each women left to do her own thing. Hermione, the helpful house guest that she was, performed a quick drying charm on her hair and headed downstairs to help Xenophilius prepare breakfast, while Ginny went to have her shower and Luna started storing away the inflatable mattresses to free up some space in the crowded room.

"Good morning, Hermione," Xenophilius said from his station at the stove, where he was poking at some bacon frying in a pan. "You wouldn't have any idea on how to get this bacon going, would you?"

"First of all, you don't have it turned up anywhere near high enough," Hermione explained gently, taking matters into her own hands. "If you could whisk up some eggs in a bowl, I have a good idea for breakfast." Xenophilius obeyed immediately while Hermione kept a close watch over the bacon. If the stove was like anything else in Radish House, it would be temperamental in the way of refusing the fry the bacon and, the instant she turned her back, setting the pan on fire.

An hour later, a rather more alert Ginny and Luna sat down to a magnificent breakfast of French toast and bacon with freshly-squeezed orange juice.

"Daddy, did your cooking skills improve overnight?" Luna asked innocently, the cheeky spark in her eyes belying her innocent expression. Xenophilius threw a piece of his breakfast at her.

"You know I survive on other people's pockets when you're at school, darling," he said. "Hermione cooked it all for us."

"Thanks, Hermione, it's really good," Ginny said around a mouthful of bacon. Hermione giggled at the similarity between Ginny and her brothers.

"I love it, Mina," Luna said dreamily.

"Mina?" Ginny exclaimed, giggling. Luna blushed and couldn't quite meet Hermione's eyes.

"I just thought…because you need a nickname…Mina was good," she stammered hesitantly. Her meaningless prattle was stopped by Hermione pressing a sound kiss to her lips.

"I love it," she whispered. She returned to her breakfast with a wink, leaving the flustered blonde a spectacular shade of red.

"You're redder than my hair, Luna!" Ginny giggled, holding a chunk of her hair up to Luna's face to compare shades of red. Luna jerked her head away and gave her a very black look. Even Hermione was hard-put to choke back laughter at the furious look on Luna's face.

"If you girls are quite finished with your petty arguments, there are shops in Diagon Alley I can hear calling for our Galleons," Xenophilius said, having remained silent and finished his plateful. "I'll be starting the car. Take as long as you need." Ginny started shovelling food into her mouth as fast as she could without choking while Hermione and Luna were slightly daintier in their eating.

Diagon Alley was full of people finishing off their Christmas shopping by the time they got there. Ginny's eyes sparkled as they came across a rotund witch selling soup, hot chocolate and warm crepes to the frozen passers-by. Soon Xenophilius was stuck carrying four polystyrene cups balanced atop boxes holding crepes while the three young women ran giggling from shop to shop, seeming to come out with more purchases every time.

"I think I bought something for everyone," Ginny said, examining the contents of her bags. "D'you think Ron will be happy with a limited edition chocolate frog gift box?"

"He'd be happy with anything, as long as it was food," Hermione remarked. "I've decided to introduce him to classic Muggle literature." She showed Luna and Ginny a book titled _Pride and Prejudice_. Ginny laughed.

"I'm sure he will love and treasure for as long as you both shall live," she giggled. Hermione elbowed her and glanced sideways at the Ravenclaw woman contemplating the chunk of crepe on the end of her fork.

"What did you get for everyone, Luna?" Ginny asked, reaching out to look inside the bags. Luna slapped her hand away.

"No peeking!" she scolded. "You'll see what you're getting on Christmas Day and not before." Hermione giggled and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You sound like my mum!" she exclaimed. "Roll on, Christmas Day!"

"We have a lot to do before Christmas, silly," Luna giggled. "We still have to decorate the house, make the Christmas pudding and gingerbread, make the Yule oil and go and see the local pantomime." Ginny groaned and banged her forehead against the table.

However, Christmas morning came far faster than any of the women would have expected. They woke up, after a night of sweet dreams due the Yule oil, to a fresh blanket of crisp white across the rolling hills and the fresh smell of gingerbread drifting through the house. Luna, as excited as a young child, was the first to leap out of bed. Hermione and Ginny swiftly followed and the three women emptied out their stockings over their respective beds and squealed over the contents.

"I expect you bought me this, Hermione," Ginny said, showing off another Muggle classic, this one titled _What Katy Did._ Hermione smiled and nodded, ripping the paper from a bag of the new _Siren's Secrets_ beauty line.

"Are you suggesting I look terrible without make-up?" she asked, assuming a haughty expression.

"'Course not, but that stuff works miracles," Ginny said laughingly. "Cool, thanks Luna!" She held up a pair of silver earrings - shaped like little bells - up to her ears and gently shook them so they tinkled in the still morning air. Luna nodded in appreciation of the thanks and smiled over the holly-shaped enamel brooch inside the star-scattered wrapping paper. Both Hermione and Ginny laughed loudly when they discovered bottles of the Yule oil they'd made the previous night inside their stockings.

"The normal box of chocolates from Great Aunt Muriel," Ginny said, tearing open the treats and immediately picking out the all-chocolate one. "What's this?" She stared in confusion at a gold bracelet for a moment before sudden realisation flashed in her eyes and she tucked it away in her trunk.

"Daddy normally doesn't stir until at least ten o'clock on Christmas Day," Luna said.

"Well, let's transfigure something and wake him up!" Ginny exclaimed. "I want my _presents_!"

"No need, the cacophony you three were making has already woken me up," Xenophilius said from the doorway. "The last one downstairs has to make the coffee!" Giggling, the three women ducked under his outstretched arms and clattered down the stairs to reach the living room first and sit expectantly by the lit-up Christmas tree.

Giggled excitedly and occasionally squealing, they tore into the wrapping paper, leaving the polished wooden floors newly-carpeted in cheery festive paper, and revealed the treasures within. Both Hermione and Ginny smiled over the _Quibbler _subscriptions Xenophilius had slotted inside their Christmas cards while Luna was excited to find a supply of her father's Nargle repellent inside one of her presents.

"This one's from me," Hermione whispered, handing Luna a small square package. Luna carefully unwound the red ribbon and peeled back the Spellotape from the gold paper. Inside was a silver locket, the heart dangling from it set with a small imitation ruby.

"Thank you, Mina," Luna whispered, her eyes filling with tears. Hermione took the locket and carefully slid it around Luna's neck.

"It had my picture and hair inside it," she whispered. "I love you, Luna."

"I love you too, Hermione," Luna whispered, tears spilling from dove-grey eyes. Hermione took her hands and their lips met in a sweet kiss.

"Not again!" Ginny exclaimed. "If you have to snog, at least make use of that Nargle repellent and do it out of my sight!"

"Don't you girls want breakfast?" Xenophilius asked, stoking the fire while looking enquiringly at his daughter. Hermione smiled into Luna's eyes.

"We're not hungry," she answered softly. With those words, the two vanished away to make a meal of Christmas kisses.

* * *

><p>So, faithful readers, how did you like my femmeslash debut? Once again, I love you Bluey and I hoped you liked your present :D<p> 


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